e with an air of offended dignity. Lebedeff's nephew
took up the word again.

"Well, prince, to do you justice, you certainly know how to make the
most of your--let us call it infirmity, for the sake of politeness; you
have set about offering your money and friendship in such a way that
no self-respecting man could possibly accept them. This is an excess of
ingenuousness or of malice--you ought to know better than anyone which
word best fits the case."

"Allow me, gentlemen," said Gavrila Ardalionovitch, who had just
examined the contents of the envelope, "there are only a hundred roubles
here, not two hundred and fifty. I point this out, prince, to prevent
misunderstanding."

"Never mind, never mind," said the prince, signing to him to keep quiet.

"But we do mind," said Lebedeff's nephew vehemently. "Prince, your
'never mind' is an insult to us. We have nothing to hide; our actions
can bear daylight. It is true that there are only a hundred roubles
instead of two hundred and fifty, but it is all the same."

"Why, no, it is hardly the same," remarked Gavrila Ardalionovitch, with
an air of ingenuous surprise.

"Don't interrupt, we are not such fools as you think, Mr. Lawyer," cried
Lebedeff's nephew angrily. "Of course there is a difference between
a hundred roubles and two hundred and fifty, but in this case the
principle is the main point, and that a hundred and fifty roubles
are missing is only a side issue. The point to be emphasized is that
Burdovsky will not accept your highness's charity; he flings it back in
your face, and it scarcely matters if there are a hundred roubles or two
hundred and fifty. Burdovsky has refused ten thousand roubles; you
heard him. He would not have returned even a hundred roubles if he was
dishonest! The hundred and fifty roubles were paid to Tchebaroff for
his travelling expenses. You may jeer at our stupidity and at our
inexperience in business matters; you have done all you could already to
make us look ridiculous; but do not dare to call us dishonest. The
four of us will club together every day to repay the hundred and fifty
roubles to the prince, if we have to pay it in instalments of a rouble
at a time, but we will repay it, with interest. Burdovsky is poor, he
has no millions. After his journey to see the prince Tchebaroff sent in
his bill. We counted on winning... Who would not have done the same in
such a case?"

"Who indeed?" exclaimed Prince S.

"I shall certainly g